According to Accounting Today, the IRS failed to spot $20.6M in bogus nonresident tax refunds in 2018. Questions: How many returns did this account for? In a short paragraph, explain how this happened. In a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), what recommendations were made for the improvement of IRS identification… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Fraud Accounting
Big Move by a credit reporting giant
Credit rating giant TransUnion is buying Neustar, an identity resolution company for $3.1 Billion in cash. Questions: When is the deal expected to close? How much is Neustar expected to generate in 2021? What is the strategic benefit of Neustar for TransUnion? Who owned Neustar going back to the 1990s and today? What part of… Read more »
The Continuing Saga
According to the Washington Post, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said the SEC told the company that the upcoming product it is planning to offer is a type of security that should be registered with the government. Questions: What is Coinbase’s proposed product? Why does the SEC care? How does Neel Kashkari, president of the Minneapolis… Read more »
Piece-Rate Work or Overtime Violations
According to the Miami Herald, a Florida air-conditioning company has been taken to court for the seventh time since 1995 for failing to pay its employees what they are owed. Questions: What is the name of the company and where are they headquartered? What Act have they violated? What agency brings forth the violation suit?… Read more »
Alarm about Crypto Move into Banking
According to the New York Times, with more companies offering cryptocurrency loans and high-yield deposit accounts Washington is worried about how this might disrupt the banking industry with a lack of regulations. Questions: Which company was mentioned in the article as aspiring to be the J.P. Morgan Chase of cryptocurrency? What crypto platform temporarily lost… Read more »
Theranos Scandal Story Continues
While speaking with four former Theranos employees about the upcoming trial of embattled CEO Elizabeth Holmes, CNBC found the former employees want the trial to be over and still fear retribution. Questions: What was Micah Nies’ position at Theranos? Do the former employees think Holmes will be found guilty? Why? What red flags of the… Read more »
Another Big Cyberattack
According to the New York Times, hundreds of businesses around the world are grappling with potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities after a software provider to more than 40,000 organizations has been the victim of a “sophisticated cyberattack.” Questions: What types of organizations in Sweden have been hit? What is the name of the software company that has… Read more »
Facebook’s Victory
According to Reuters, Facebook hits $1 trillion value after the judge rejects antitrust complaints. Questions: Federal and state antitrust complaints sought to have Facebook sell what apps? Where did the judge find flaws in the arguments? What was the bright spot for the FTC in the case? Source: Bartz, D. and E. Culliford. (2021). Facebook… Read more »
Data Breach at McDonald’s
According to CNN, McDonald’s is the latest high-profile company to be affected by a data breach, leading to the exposure of private information of customers and employees in South Korea and Taiwan. Questions: What type of data was accessed? What does McDonald’s credit for finding the breach? Did the company experience a data breach in the U.S.? Source:… Read more »
Deep Fakes
According to the Washington Post, many people are finding that they cannot trust reviews posted about a health-care provider’s site. Questions: What is Fake Review Watch and what have they been doing? When may posting fraudulent reviews be illegal? How many actions have been taken against California doctors over the past four years for fake… Read more »